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The Difference Between Probiotics and Prebiotics

The word probiotic is derived from the Greek meaning "for life." Probiotics are mono or mixed cultures of live microorganisms which, when applied to animal or humans can affect the body by improving the properties of the microflora.

Probiotic bacteria are generally, though not exclusively, lactic acid bacteria and include Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. bulgaricus, L. plantarum, L. salivarius, L. rhamnosus, B. bifidum. B. longum, B. infantis and S. thermophilus.

Probiotics are an important part of the complex world of foods that are good for health. Probiotics are foods that contain live bacteria. It is the bacteria and metabolites which they produce that give these probiotics their health promoting properties.

The best known example of a probiotic is yogurt. The experimental data for yogurt is still not as conclusive as one would like, but human studies related to the consumption of yogurt show increased milk digestibility, quicker recovery from certain types of diarrhea, enhanced immune function, reduction in certain cancers, and possible lowering of blood cholesterol levels.

The bacteria which are found in probiotic products such as yogurt, kefir and fermented vegetables usually aren't normally found in the human intestine. In fact, the intestinal environment is often a hostile one for these foreign bacteria.

Because of this, bacteria eaten in probiotic products don't colonize the intestine but are flushed though and eliminated quickly from the body.

The bacteria that live in the intestines make up a very large and very diverse population. The numbers of each kind of bacteria change depending on age, diet, health status, and use of drugs and supplements.

The bacteria that do thrive do so because they are able to adhere to the intestinal wall and use the semi-digested food that is passing through the intestines. It is not surprising to find that the bacterial population in the intestines of vegetarians is much different that that of meat eaters.

Because some bacteria have specific nutrient requirements it has been proposed that adding these particular foods or nutrient to the diet could be a way of increasing the numbers of specific bacteria.

That is what prebiotics are. Prebiotics are foods or nutrients that are used by specific bacteria and that can be added to the diet to increase the chances of these particular bacteria growing and thriving in the intestine.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have been known as prebiotics for some time , but have been joined by galactooligosaccharides and other digestion resistant carbohydrates. FOS are compounds made up of fructose sugar molecules linked together in long chains. They can be found naturally in such foods as Jerusalem artichoke tubers, onions, leeks, some grains and honey.

The concept of a prebiotic is one that could be included in many food products and it is likely that in the future we will be eating foods that are probiotics that also contain prebiotic ingredients.

Prebiotics Enhance Gut Health

Prebiotic ingredients stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Proper nutrition is essential to maintaining a healthy status, however, Western diets often lack healthful ingredients such as fruit, fiber, and whole grains. A key to maintaining good health includes nurturing the body’s naturally occurring microorganisms for proper digestive-tract function.

Diets that are high in fat and red meat, alcohol, drugs, and stress can alter the delicate balance between good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract.

Not only do antibiotics kill harmful bacteria, they kill beneficial bacteria as well.

Adding probiotics or live beneficial bacteria to the diet, such as acidophilus bacteria and bifidobacteria, helps modulate gut microflora and improve the intestinal microbial balance.

A (Healthy) Gut Response

While consumption of probiotics is recommended by the nutrition community, prebiotics are also recommended. Prebiotics are food sources that are preferentially chosen by beneficial bacteria.

The result is enhanced intestinal health, i.e., a balance between the beneficial and harmful microbes. Prebiotics are nondigestible carbohydrates that pass through the small intestine undigested and are fermented in the colon.

The body does not produce the enzymes necessary for their digestion, therefore, they serve as a source of fiber or bulk.

Recently, the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) revised the definition of dietary fiber, which means that the nondigestible carbohydrates, such as inulin and resistant starch, may be classified as such by AACC.

Prebiotic fermentation leads to health benefits such as increased fecal biomass and, consequently, increased stool weight and/or stool frequency. Colonic fermentation of prebiotics by bifidobacteria produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), mainly acetate, propionate, and butyrate, hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas, and bacterial cell mass.

Production of SCFA leads to a decrease in pH in the colon that produces a favorable environment for the friendly bacteria and a poor environment for harmful bacteria, such as coliforms. In addition, lower intestinal pH facilitates absorption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Lowering intestinal pH may also help lower the risk for colon cancer.

The most well-researched prebiotics include inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), which are found in approximately 36,000 plants at various levels.

Potential Prebiotic

Note: dp = degree of polymerisation

Currently, the criteria used for classification of a food component as a prebiotic includes: resistance to digestion, hydrolysis and fermentation by colonic microflora, and selective stimulation of growth of one or a limited number of bacteria in the feces. In addition, a prebiotic may repress the growth of pathogens for overall beneficial health.

While many ingredients can be utilized by the good bacteria, they cannot be utilized by the bad bacteria as well and be classified as true prebiotics, guar gum is a fermentable source in the colon—it stimulates good bacteria—but, technically, it is not a prebiotic because it does not meet the other criteria of being utilized by pathogenic bacteria.

Probiotic in the use for treatment of gut disease

Probiotics can help prevent or reduce the effect on an infection caused by pathogenic organism, making them beneficial, nutritional and therapeutic.

Probiotic bacteria help digest lactose, regulate peristalsis and bowel movements, and digest protein to free amino acids. In addition, probiotics produce enzymes that help break down and digest food.

"Probiotics can also reduce bloating, improve utilization of nutrients, reduce gas and putrefaction," said Dr. S. K. Dash of UAS Laboratories.

Lactobacillus acidophilus is one probiotic that has been researched extensively for its use in digestive health. "Lactobacillus acidophilus is beneficial for digestive orders, acne, cholesterol, yeast infections and strengthening the immune system," Dash said.

"Acidophilus is the foundation which all other supplements build upon. Without acidophilus, other supplements and even food have reduced or limited benefit." Further studies have also found that different strains of L.acidophilus exist.

In fact, the same strain that is grown under different conditions shows different properties. Dr. Khem M. Shahani of Nebraska Cultures found that a specially isolated and cultured strain of DDS-1 possesses properties significant to digestion and nutritional health. DDS-1 has been found to produce enzymes such as protease that digest proteins and lipases that digest fat.

The strain can also alleviate lactose intolerance caused by the deficiency of the lactase enzyme, producing significant quantities of lactase which may help digest lactose and thereby reduce the possibility of bad breath, bloating, gas formation and stomach cramps.

IBS and Crohn's Disease

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional disorder of the intestines that is said to affect five million Americans. Doctors refer to IBS as a "functional disorder" since the cause of the problem is still not known and there are few signs of disease when the colon is examined.

The common complaint among IBS suffers is alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea, and abdominal pain and cramps. Headache, nausea, heartburn, belching, gas and mucous stools may also accompany the condition.

One of the biggest indicators of IBS, however, comes when a bowel movement or the passage of gas temporarily relieves pain or cramps.

Since IBS appears not to have an organic cause, doctors have suggested that emotional conflict or stress can cause the disorder.
Stool tests show no significant findings--no blood, no excess white cells, no parasites or bacteria.

However, a stool exam can reveal an underlying cause of IBS. Things such as improper digestion and an unbalanced intestinal flora are signs of IBS.

Researchers have also found that the colon muscle of a person with IBS begins to spasm after light stimulation. A person with IBS may have a colon that is more sensitive and reactive than usual. Food irritants and large amounts of alcohol have been found to trigger these spasms.

Common food irritants include wheat and dairy but other irritants such as citrus, corn, eggs and fruit can also wreak havoc on the system. By exploring which foods they are sensitive too, IBS sufferers can select a more accommodating diet.

Naturopathic physicians suggest that IBS patients take additional steps to address the problem through diet. By including more fiber, lowering sugar and fat intake and eliminating coffee and alcohol, colon spasms can be avoided.

Also, people with IBS often possess an abnormal bowel flora or inadequate digestive enzyme production. Individuals can regulate their flora and enzyme production through probiotic or enzyme supplementation

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease found in the small intestine. It can be difficult to diagnose since its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders such as IBS and ulcerative colitis (inflammation in the large intestine).

The cause of Crohn's disease has yet to be proven, but a popular theory suggests that the body's immune system is reacting to a virus or a bacterium found in the inflamed intestine.

Unlike IBS, Crohn's disease is not caused by emotional distress. Symptoms are abdominal pain, cramping and diarrhea, which may include rectal bleeding, weight loss and fever. Frequent symptoms are fevers that last 24 to 48 hours, canker sores in the mouth and a thickening of the gastrointestinal lining that can cause blockage.

Treatment for Crohn's disease depends on the location and severity of the disease, and complications and response to previous treatment. The goals of treatment are to control inflammation, correct nutritional deficiencies and relieve symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and rectal bleeding.

Medical treatment for the disease consists of anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids and antibiotics. A natural course of healing focuses on diet and food sensitivities. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet outlined in Elaine Gottschall's Book Food Cycle and the Gut Reaction (Kirkton, 1986) is recommended by Lipski as an effective way for Crohn patients to address their food sensitivities.

The diet focuses on eliminating foods such as grain and dairy that cause sensitivities and restoring intestinal balance. In addition, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids and quercetin, a bioflavonoid, can reduce inflammation. A multivitamin with minerals and antioxidants may also be helpful in restoring the malabsorption and poor dietary habits found in some Crohn patients.